The Intense Culinary Training Jeremy Allen White Had To Go Through For The Bear
If viewers are opposed to experiencing any anxiety in their media, "The Bear" may not be the best option for winding down at night. The high-intensity drama on FX explores the ins and outs of working on a kitchen line and all the screaming and fast-paced work that comes with it. This tension is perfectly exemplified in Episode 7, "Review," an episode that was rewritten as one continuous take to take advantage of the stress often found in the kitchen. The series convincingly portrays the realities of kitchen work and how it is certainly not for everyone.
In addition to the high-stress 20-minute episode, the series is also notable for its use of kitchen jargon such as "hands," "fire," and of course the near-constant use of "yes, chef." These terms are not the only thing that is causing chefs to call "The Bear" too real. Jeremy Allen White, who plays head chef Carmy Berzatto, had some serious training to prepare for one of the most stressful industries you can ever work in.
Jeremy Allen White trained with the best of the best
Always one day away from closing, The Original Beef of Chicagoland lives and dies by the work of the kitchen staff. Urgency is a given and it was important to the production that came across. First and foremost was ensuring that Jeremy Allen White could convincingly portray a Michelin star chef.
"Before the pilot, we had a fair amount of time to kind of rehearse and be in that space," White told Uproxx. "Ayo [Edebiri] and I went to a two-week kind of crash course in culinary school." Both White and Edebiri play characters who have graduated from culinary school and it was integral to get their skills in the kitchen right. Their dedication did not just extend to school. Both actors went on to work the kitchen line in real restaurants as well.
White stated that he worked under Chef Dave Beran at the highly-rated restaurant Pasjoli. The experience improved his skills, making him a better cook. This translates immensely to the small screen where Carmy is seen chopping and dicing as fast as his little hands will allow. This isn't all just camera tricks. He also had his mettle tested in real-life scenarios. "He let me cook on the line during busy nights. It was pretty incredible that they really let me in," White remarked to Entertainment Weekly.
"He had to work extremely hard," confirmed co-showrunner Joanna Calo. "Jeremy is very good with his knife now."
Experts continued to help White during filming
There is no "The Bear" without a world that feels genuine and lived in. This was accomplished by the many producers on set with experience in cooking. Chris Storer is the creator of the series and has an affection for the art. But his sister Courtney Storer — who is a former chef — also joined the team as a culinary producer (via the Los Angeles Times).
Matty Matheson rounded out the expertise behind the camera as well as in front of it. A cookbook writer and co-producer, Matheson ironically plays the one character in the restaurant who is not a chef. Neil Fak is the go-to handyman for The Beef but has designs on being a glamorous chef as well. He was one of the people instrumental in helping White sell the character of Carmy while cooking.
"Cameras roll and I'm starting to do my own thing, [Matheson's] watching camera, he'll say, 'Stop.' He'll come in, he'll do some more cooking," White told Los Angeles Times. Both Courtney Storer and Matheson were there to steer White in the right direction if his technique needed some work. What also helped was having some fun on set. White confessed to IndieWire that the jargon that makes "The Bear" stand out was also commonplace behind the scenes.
"Everybody's 'chef' on set. Everybody's always chef," White told the publication. "I don't think it's method, I think it's just fun to say."